Shoebox
by Mosie1213
Summary: How could a simple shoebox have him so confused? Because it contained his past mistakes and made him question his relationship with her. And now he was torn...he had a decision to make. So who will he choose? ONESHOT Leyton or Brucas? Read and find out!
1. Chapter 1

_**Okay, so I know I've still got three stories going on right now, but I had a dream last night and the idea for this little story came to me and I just couldn't pass it up. I am going to let you figure out what the pairing is in this story. This is my first ever oneshot, so please forgive me if it is not that great. But please review anyway. Thanks!! (Oh, and the song I used with this story is kind of old, but it fits the storyline perfectly)**_

_**-Maureen**_

**Song: **_Shoebox—Barenaked Ladies_

**_OTHOTHOTHOTHOTHOTHOTHOTHOTOHTOHOTHOTHOTHTOHTOHOTHTOHTOHOTHOTHOTHTOHTOHTOH_**

Sitting in his car in front of her house, Lucas looked down at the shoebox in his lap. He could attribute everything that's happened tonight to this one simple shoebox. Well, the shoebox itself was simple, but its contents…now that was much more complicated. It was what the shoebox contained that had made him question his feelings for her, for both of them actually. When he had come across the old shoebox earlier in the week, he had forced himself to search deep within his heart for what he really wanted.

He was helping his mother start work on the nursery for the baby, who would be arriving in only six months. Since his bedroom was the only one besides his mothers downstairs, Lucas was moving his things to the attic bedroom. He was cleaning out the closet when he found it…the ugly brown shoebox sitting in the corner.

How he had forgotten about the shoebox, he didn't know. Maybe it was because of all the stress he'd been through this year. His heart condition…losing Keith…Haley's accident….his heart attack…Brooke, and then Peyton. But they are what should've made him remember the shoebox anyway.

Lucas turns on the radio, hoping that whatever song is playing will answer all his questions for him. Strangely enough, the song playing was an old one, called Shoebox by the Barenaked Ladies.

_**A key in the door, a step on the floor**_

_**A note on the table and a meal in the micro**_

_**Note says I'm in bed, please make sure that you're fed**_

_**If you're taking a shower, you can borrow my bathrobe**_

_**When I'm asleep I dream you move in next week**_

_**I crumble the note and save it to put inside…**_

It's a strange song, Lucas thought. But even still, it's a song that explains exactly how he's feeling right now.

_**My shoe box**_

_**Shoe box of lies**_

_**Shoebox**_

_**Shoebox of lies**_

Slowly, he removes the lid from the box like he had when he'd found it again in the closet last week.

_**It's under my bed, it's never been read**_

_**It's in with my school stuff and my mom never cleans there**_

_**From my first little fib, when I still wore a bib**_

_**To my latest attempt at pretending I'm someone**_

_**Who's not seventeen, doesn't know what you mean**_

_**When talk turns to single malts, or stilton, or…**_

He sifts through the box again, looking at everything, at every memory of them.

_**My shoebox**_

_**Shoebox of lies**_

_**Shoebox**_

_**Shoebox of lies**_

Everything it held was another memory of him and Peyton. From the pictures of them together, to the letters she wrote him, to samples of her artwork…there were so many memories. And it all made him so confused.

_**Did somebody tell you?**_

_**This is how it's supposed to be?**_

_**Or did you just find it**_

_**And you don't want any more from me?**_

He will never be able to forget the past. He will never forget them, nor would he ever want to. They'd been good for each other, and right for one another too. They had both been lonely and they connected so easily. But there was something missing. There was something deeper within his heart now, something he was still trying to figure out.

_**My shoebox**_

_**Shoebox of lies**_

_**Shoebox**_

_**Shoebox of lies**_

And it was that feeling that had him questioning everything, questioning their relationship. He was torn again, only because he knew he loved her. He would always love her…just not in the same way he had convinced himself he did.

_**Was it something I said or something you read**_

_**That's making me think that I should never have come here**_

_**I can offer you lies, I can tell you goodbye**_

_**I can tell you I'm sorry , but I can't tell you the truth, dear**_

_**And what if I could-would it do any good?**_

_**You'll still never get to see the contents of…**_

It was a hard decision, but it was one he'd needed to make. His heart belonged to another.

_**My shoebox**_

_**Shoebox of lies**_

_**Shoebox**_

_**Shoebox of lies**_

His heart belonged to the one who'd changed him, the one who'd changed with him, and the one he'd promised to never let go.

_He'd kissed her. She was about to leave for the airport, on her way to California for the summer. They'd hugged and as they pulled away, he'd kissed her._

"_Tell me that wasn't a goodbye kiss?" she'd responded in surprise._

_He'd stared at her, still so afraid to tell her he truly felt, but also knowing he must or risk losing her forever._

"_I want to be with you, Brooke."_

_She stepped back from him. "What?"_

"_I'm sorry. I know we're friends. It's just how I feel."_

"_But what about Peyton's stuff?"_

_The shoebox…he remembered. "I keep that stuff as a reminder of how badly I screwed up things…with you. To remind myself that if I ever get a second chance, I'd never let you go again."_

_The taxi honked and interrupted her response. She allowed it to distract her, and she left for the entire summer before they'd had a chance to work things out._

But they had worked things out when she returned. They'd been down a tough road, but found happiness in each other again. And they fell in love and lasted much longer than the first time because he truly did love her. But after Keith was killed, things changed.

Not just with him and Brooke, but with all his relationships. He stopped really showing his love to anyone anymore, and that's what ended things with him and Brooke. He didn't return the love Brooke so desperately wanted and needed, though in fact he felt it. And he'd let her go…again, forgetting the promise he'd made with that shoebox.

_**You're so nineteen-ninety **_

_**And it's nineteen ninety four**_

_**Leave this world behind me**_

_**Cause you don't want me anymore**_

He'd gotten closer with Peyton, though he should've been trying harder with Brooke. True, she kept pushing him away, but if he loved her like he'd told her, then she should've fought harder, should've never given up.

But sitting here now, still holding the shoebox, he realizes he'd been afraid. He'd been afraid to love her in fear of losing her. His heart was so fragile then, so broken, even more when she broke things off. He hadn't felt much like fighting with a broken heart, which is why he'd let himself get closer to Peyton and let himself believe that he loved her.

It's not that he didn't love her, because he did. But he was more in love with their friendship. It was so strong and real. He cared about her so deeply and he would never want anything to happen to her, never want to hurt her. She'd been so hurt already in her young life and he didn't want to let her hurt anymore. So he'd been there for her and protected her. But all the while he was with her, somewhere deep down he knew that his heart was still with Brooke.

And he finally realized that when he found the shoebox. When he looked through it and remembered that vow he'd made to himself and to her after she'd found it. The vow he'd made to never let her go if he got her back. And as he had looked through everything in the shoeboxm he'd finally come to understand that feeling deep within his heart.

It was Brooke. He loved her. He still loved her. He'd never stopped loving her. But a surge of guilt came over him too because he was with Peyton. He'd told her he loved her and that she would never lose him, but…his heart was still with Brooke. And he wasn't about to make the same biggest mistake of his life again, so he had had to end it with Peyton.

"_You said you loved me, Lucas," she'd said crying after he'd explained to her his true feeling._

"_I know, and I do, Peyton," he said, standing in the doorway of the closet. "I love you co much, but it's different."_

"_Different, how?"_

_He sighed. "I love our friendship, Peyton. We're so close and you mean a lot to me. And I do love you, but my heart is still with…"_

"_Brooke?"_

_He nodded and moved closer to her. "I gave her my heart a long time ago, Peyton. And even though we've had sour second chance already, we never really gave it our all, or at least I didn't. I don't know why I pushed back and hid away my feelings for her, but I did. And it's not fair to you. Peyton, I swear I never meant to hurt you, but…"_

"_Don't Lucas…" Peyton sniffled and looked up at him. "I know already."_

_To his surprise, she had smiled at him. A small smile, but a smile nonetheless._

"_You can't help who you love," she said in almost a whisper._

He promised her they would still be friends, that he would never leave her and never not be there when she needed him.

"_Promise?" She had asked._

"_I promise." He'd answered._

And he never broke promises, at least not anymore. Which is why he is here now, in front of Brooke's house, praying that she will forgive him and let him in again. And just in case she isn't convinced at first, he will take the shoebox in with him and hope she remembers his promise.

After leaving the car (with the shoebox), Lucas walks up to her door and knocks. It's her who opens the door of Rachel's house.

"Lucas…" she says, kinking her eyebrow at him, like she does other times when she's trying to be cute. "What are you doing here?"

"I know it's late," he says. "But I really need to talk to you."

"Are you okay?" She asked worriedly." Is Peyton…"

"Yeah, I'm fine, she's fine." He swallowed. "But um…we broke up."

"What?" She stepped out onto the porch and closed the door. "Why? You guys have only been together for like a month. What happened?"

"There's um…there's someone else."

"What? Who?"

Hesitating first, Lucas moves in closer and kisses her lips. She starts to kiss him back, but pulls away.

"Lucas…what are you doing?"

"I still love you, Brooke. I never stopped loving you, even though I stopped showing you. I am sorry for that. I've been trying to figure out why I did and why I stopped fighting for you, and the only thing I can come up with is that I was afraid. I was afraid of losing you because I love you so much. But I lost you anyway and I can't stop beating myself up over it."

"Lucas…"

"I made myself and you a promise, Brooke. I promised you that I would never let you go again."

He hands her the shoebox and she opens it. She looks back up at him.

"Do you remember when you found that? What I said when you asked me about it?"

Brooke nods slowly, tears in her eyes. "You said that you kept these things to remind yourself of how badly you messed up and that if…if you ever get a second chance with me, that…"

"I'd never let you go again, but I did. For some stupid reason inside myself, I let you go. And I'll never forgive myself, unless you give me another chance."

She stared at him, listening and also struggling with her own feelings, feelings she wanted so much to scream out to him at that very moment.

"I know I don't deserve it, I don't deserve you. But I'm hoping that you might take me back anyway, that you'll still love me Because I love you, Brooke. I really do love you, and I always will. And I promise to show you that this time around if you'll let me."

_I do love him, _she knew the whole time he spoke. _But is love enough this time? _She listened more to his words, stared deep into his eyes, and saw that for him it was.

"You gave me your heart, Brooke…twice. And twice I broke it and I don't know how I can ever make up for that but to be honest with you and I am. I love you. I always have and I always will. And even if you don't love me anymore, you should know that my heart will always be with you."

"God, shut up, Lucas!" She finally spoke. "That's enough."

"Brooke, I…"

She dropped the shoebox and kissed him. And neither of them pulled away for a good two minutes. When they did pull away, Brooke was smiling.

"You've really got to shorten those speeches."

Lucas laughed and he held her face.

"I love you, Pretty Girl," he whispered. "Forever."

"And I love you, Broody…forever."

And as they kissed again and held each other close, both knew that nothing would ever come between them again. She was his fresh start, his new beginning. And he was her savior. And though it was full of things of Peyton, both of them were thankful for that old shoebox, for it had helped him remember his promise and helped him find his way back to his true love, the person he was meant to be with. And as they both had known all along, people who are meant to be together, always find there way in the end.


	2. Thanks for Reading!

Oh my goodness, thank you all so much for your reviews! I am glad you all enjoyed it so much.

**Chad'sheart13:**

I really appreciate the compliment. It's nice to think I'd make a good writer for the show!!! I totally love brucas. I just think they are way better together than Leyton. I mean, I love Peyton, but I don't like her when she's with or pining after Lucas…you know? I am so glad my story made your day!!!

**Wishinonastar**

LOL. That's exactly what I was thinking as I wrote this story. How could he not remember the shoebox and his promise to Brooke? I seriously like woke up this morning and started thinking about what I was going to write next for one of my other stories, and for some reason I thought back to that episode, because that whole scene with lucas and brooke and him telling her he wanted to be with her is like one of my fave brucas moments of all time. So I just kept thinking about what it might be like if he remembered that shoebox, so I turned my thoughts and dream into a reality (well a fictional reality LOL) thanks again for your warm comments. Maybe mark will get wind of this story and remember the shoe box LOL

**Snowbabie:**

Probably one of my most loyal readers…reviewing on everything I write!!! Thank you!!! You're right, Brucas lovers like you and me would LOVE to see this really happen. I know I was smiling as I wrote it. I figured my most loyal readers would know what the story would be before even reading it LOL. Guess I'm predictable, huh? LOL Hopefully I'll have an update on the other stories this weekend.

**Jeytonbrucasnaley**

LOL I was wondering if I would stump anybody with that. Ultimately, when I started, I was trying to make the readers think I was having Lucas question his feelings for Brooke because of the Leyton stuff, and he was, but it was more about him questioning his relationship with Peyton because of the feelings he was remembering he still had for brooke, you know? Well, I'm sure you figured that out LOL Glad you liked the shut up line too…I was trying to a throw a little bit of that Brooke humor in there that all us brucas lovers love so much. Thanks for the review!!!

_**Oh and something else…I'm not for certain yet, but I was considering maybe following this story up with other Oneshots like others have done. Maybe try a Naley one or one with Peyton. I'm not sure yet because I have other stories to finish, but keep a look out for my name anyway with more oneshots, cux it is definitely something I think I'd like to try again! Thanks again everyone!!!**_


	3. More Thank Yous

**LOL Lots more reviews!!! Thank you. Some of them made me laugh, so I want give some more thanks:**

**Jeytonbrucasnaley:**

I laughed at your reply. LOL you know when I started the story, my whole intention was it to end up a brucas, but then as I was writing about the shoebox, I was like "hmm…my readers would totally not expect me to write a leyton" so I thought about pulling a fast one on you for about thirty seconds, but then I decided I jusrt couldn't betray Brucas LOL

**Catcat51092:**

Thank you! I might do a follow up oneshot with Brooke's POV or possibly Peyton, but I haven't decided yet.

**Justlikebrooke:**

LOL all brucas lovers keep telling me the same thing!!! LOL I myself would love to see it end like this. Lucas finiding the shoebox and remembering his promise. God, that would be so awesome. He needs to stop flipflopping and he needs to get back with Brooke before it's too late!! Thanks for your review!!!


	4. Even More Shout Outs!

**Wow, I just keep getting more and more reviews!! And you guys keep making me tear up!!! Thank you all so much: Here are some more special shoutouts to the recent reviewers:**

**BrownEyes1980:**

I am so flattered to hear you say my story is perfection. I never expected that. This story has gotten much more respnds than I had expected, but I am glad. I was thinking the same thing about the Peyton box as I was writing, but I figured that if I threw in that memory of him telling brooke why he kept that stuff would make sense that he was remembering that too. Thanks again for your wonderful review!!! I seriously teared up!!!

**B. Davis:**

LOL I thought for a second about pulling a fast one on my readers and making it a LP fic, but even when I thought about it, I knew I could never betray Brucas. Thanks for your review!!

**Hinata-37**

Thank you!!!!

**Catcat51092:**

I totally agree. Brucas for life and Jeyton forever!!!

**So I have a little surprise for everyone. Since this, my very first oneshot has been such a success and you all have responded so sweetly, I have been inspired to try writing another. And with success. I finished my second oneshot very early this morning. It is a different storyline than this one, but it is another Brucas oneshot from Brooke's POV and she actually narrates the story. It is a Valentine's Day fic and I am thinking about entering it in this fanfic challenge at a new fanfic and video site I just joined. But I really want to post it here too and I most definitely will, so please keep an eye out for Boomerangs, coming soon!!!!**


	5. More Shout Outs & Info on my new oneshot

**I love getting reviews so whenever I get really nice ones, I always to post a shoutout chapter to thank you all. So here goes:**

**Team Frank:**

Thank you so much for your sweet comments. You really are a wonderful writer too. Can't wait to read what you think about 'Now and Forever' and it's Sequel 'With You Always' if you haven't read that one. Thanks for your review

**Tripnfallbri**

Thank you for deciding to read my story. And thank you for reviewing. It makes me angry too how he keeps going back on his promises to Brooke "I give a rat's ass about you too, Brooke" "I'm the guy for you Brooke Davis" "I'm never going to hurt you again" "If I ever got you back, I'd never let you go again" Did he get amnesia and forget all these things he said to her??? That's why I love writing brucas fics….i can make what I want to happen, happen. Thanks again for your review

**Jeytonbrucasnaley:**

Yes I did join Harder to Breathe, and I am going to enter that Valentine's contest with the new Oneshot I just finished. Hopefully you'll read it, like it and vote for me LOL just kidding. Hopefully you'll read it though.

**Okay, thus concludes Shoebox. But feel free to shout out to me again on this chapter LOL I love hearing what you all think. And I would like to ask you all to keep your eyes peeled for my newest oneshot, Boomerangs, which I will be posting tonight or tomorrow. It is a Valentine's fic, but I can't wait til then to post it. I'm too excited to hear what you all think about it. So please keep your eyes peeled!! Thanks. Again, it is called Boomerangs from Brooke's POV, though the storyline is not the same as this one. Please read!!! Thanks**

**--Maureen**


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